‘Operation Cookie Jar’: Chicago Ridge woman gets 3 years in overbilling scheme

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Updated: March 1, 2012 9:46AM

A Chicago Ridge woman pleaded guilty Monday and was sentenced to three years in prison for an overbilling scheme that cost Chicago taxpayers more than $180,000.

Fannie Weinshenker, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds, a news release from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office said.

Weinshenker previously worked for a private industrial supply company that was awarded a contract to supply garbage bags to the city. According to prosecutors, she engaged in a scheme that overbilled the city by more than $180,000 on the contract, directing the companies that manufactured the bags to reduce the number of bags per box that were being supplied. At the same time, she didn’t inform the city of the change and continued to bill full price for fewer bags, the release said.

The suppliers became suspicious when Weinshenker directed them to leave quantity labels off the boxes or to mislabel boxes with a higher amount than was actually being supplied, the release said.

The charges against Weinshenker were part of “Operation Cookie Jar,” the Cook County State’s Attorney’s ongoing operation targeting public or government employees accused of corruption.

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